Is it safe to relight the pilot myself, or should a professional do it?
In Swannanoa, so many homes have been rebuilt since the storm that a lot of fireplaces here are brand-new — and new gas units usually run electronic ignition, meaning there's no standing pilot to relight in the first place. On those, a no-heat morning is a battery or module issue, not a knob you hold. Older Grovemont homes still have relightable pilots. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fresh installs change the answer
Swannanoa's recovery put a lot of new fireplaces and stoves into rebuilt homes, and that shifts the relighting question. Today's sealed direct-vent gas units typically use electronic ignition — the pilot sparks on demand and nothing burns between fires — so if your unit went in during the rebuild, you likely have nothing to relight by hand. When it won't start, you check the backup batteries and the switch, then call us. The older masonry fireboxes still standing in Grovemont's 1940s-to-60s homes are where a true standing pilot lives, with a printed lighting label you can safely follow.
Damp valley, licensed repairs
Whichever you have, once you're past a clean relight or a battery, it's licensed gas work — valves, sensors, ignition modules — and that's ours as the licensed contractor. Swannanoa's river-valley fog, cold-air pooling, and damp air are hard on masonry chimneys and on pilot assemblies alike, so corroded parts that won't hold are common in the older stock. Stop and call if you smell gas (leave first) or see a weak yellow flame. We're just 15 minutes east.
The lesson the storm taught
A lot of Swannanoa rebuilds now include a gas or wood hearth on purpose, because the multi-day outage proved which homes stayed warm — the ones that didn't depend on the grid. New sealed gas units with battery-backup ignition give you that power-optional heat, and a wood stove gives you total independence. We'll help you pick the right one and service it for the long haul, so the next storm finds you warm, not scrambling. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Swannanoa
We install and service fireplaces throughout Swannanoa and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes east from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- How do I light the pilot light on my gas fireplace?
- How long should I wait before trying again if the pilot doesn't catch on the first try?
- How do I completely shut off the gas to my fireplace, and where is the shutoff valve?
- I rent my home — is it OK for me to light the pilot and use the gas fireplace myself, or should I go through my landlord?
- Do I need to relight the pilot after my propane tank runs empty or the gas is shut off for service, and is there air in the line to work through?